Washington (CNN) - Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz took to the Senate floor on Tuesday afternoon for remarks on the shutdown debate that could potentially last through the night - a dramatic step in defense of his high profile, controversial plan to prevent any funding for Obamacare.

Washington (CNN) - GOP infighting over how best to prevent a government shutdown while defunding Obamacare escalated further on Tuesday, as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell publicly dismissed the more confrontational strategy adopted by freshman tea party darling Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

"I don't think that filibustering a bill that defunds Obamacare is the best route to defunding Obamacare," McConnell, R-Kentucky, said on the Senate floor. "All it does is shut down the government and keep Obamacare funded, and none of us want that."

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and other top Democrats have been considering holding the votes in response to Vitter's attempt to force a politically tough vote on whether to strip federal healthcare support from lawmakers and staff.

Washington (CNN) - The House Ethics Committee announced Wednesday it wants more time to gather information in the investigation of alleged ethics violations by three House members - Minnesota GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann, Illinois GOP Rep. Peter Roskam, and New York Democratic Rep. Tim Bishop.

The panel closed its investigation of allegations made against Massachusetts Democratic Rep. John Tierney.FULL POST

Washington (CNN) - Washington's war over alleged Internal Revenue Service targeting of conservative groups escalated sharply on Friday as Republican House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa issued a subpoena to Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, and the head of the IRS accused Issa of making a series of "inaccurate and unfair" statements earlier in the week.

Washington (CNN) - The Republican congressman spearheading a House probe into alleged Internal Revenue Service targeting of conservative political groups accused the head of the IRS Tuesday of obstructing his panel's investigation.

California GOP Rep. Darrell Issa, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, warned acting IRS chief Daniel Werfel that if "the IRS continues to hinder the committee's investigation in any manner, the committee will be forced to consider use of compulsory process."

(CNN) - The Senate gave final approval Thursday to an overhaul of U.S. immigration laws that would create a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants while increasing security along the Mexican border. The measure now goes to the Republican-controlled House, where GOP leaders say they will instead draft their own version.

Washington (CNN) - Members of the Senate are set to hold a highly anticipated vote late Monday on a bipartisan measure designed to strengthen border security in the comprehensive immigration reform bill.

The measure includes language echoing most other parts of the legislation as well, thereby making it a critical test vote on the entire plan that is backed by the Obama administration.

Washington (CNN) - Roughly half of all Americans now think the White House was behind the Internal Revenue Service decision to target conservative political groups - a growing belief at odds with information recently provided to CNN by congressional investigators.

The information includes a full transcript of the May 21 deposition of Holly Paz, a high-ranking IRS official placed on administrative leave as a result of her role in the scandal.